Improvement in sewing-machines



A. STE WARD. Sewing-Machine.

N 217,910. Patented July 29,1879.

c2. @aw

Irp/er f U K MW laur vol UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

AURELIUS STEWARD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONN, ASSIGNOR TO WHEELER & WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 217,910, dated July 29, 1879; application filed February 12, 1879.

nying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to sewing-machines,

and has reference to the means of attaching a drivi n g-handle to the flywheel of the machine, so that it may be driven by hand.

Figure 1 represents, in side elevation, the rear part of the frame of the well-known Wheeler & Wilson No. 8 sewing-machine, gearing being added to convert the same into a machine suitable to be driven by hand, the fly-wheel being broken out to show the handle in closed position or as it will be held when not in use 5 Fig. 2, a rear elevation of part of the fly-wheel with the handle turned down; Fig. 3, a detail of the handle-holding plug and spring; Fig. 4, a face View of part of the flywheel with the handle and its holding-plug removed from the plug-receiving socket in the fly-wheel.

In the drawings, the bed-plate or clothsupporting surface a and the standard I), needle-actuating lever 0, link d, hook-shaft e, belt-pulley f, and needle-bar g are supposed to be the same as are such parts in the Wheeler 85 Wilson No. 8 machine; but it is obvious that my invention might be applied to other machines which it is desired at times to drive by hand and to make readily portable.

-At the rear of the standard I) is attached a proper stud, h, upon' which is mounted the hub '5 of a toothed wheel, j, having fixed with relation to it a fly-wheel, k, provided with a handle, I, so that as the fly-wheel is rotated, the handle, being turned outward in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the toothed wheel moves with the fly-wheel, and gearing with the pinion m on the main under or hook shaft, 0, will rotate it and set all parts of the machine in operation, in the usual manner.

The handle lhas at its end a tang, a, provided with shoulders 2, which tang is pivoted, at 3, within a slotted plug, 0, provided with an enlarged head, 4. This plug 0 is fitted to the hole 5 in a portion, 1), of the fly-wheel 70, (see Fig. 7,) and is held therein by a screw, 1,- but between the head of screw r and the fly-wheel I have placed the friction or holding device 8 for the plug, and as the screw is turned in, the spring end 8 of the holding device s is pressed against a recessed or flat portion, t, of the fly-wheel at its inner side, while the shoulder of the head 4 of the plug 0 is drawn against the smooth face of the portion 1) of the fly-wheel.

When the holder 8 rests against the stoppin a, projecting from the surface t of the flywheel, the plug 0 is so turned axially that its slotted central portion is placed in line with the slot 6 in the portion 19 of the flywheel, and in said position the tang a of the handle 1 is free to passinto the slot 6, and the handle I may then be turned down flush against or within the rim of the flywheel, as shown in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to run the machine by hand, turn the handle outward from its fullline position and partially rotate the plug, so that the tang n can. no longer enter slot 6, and then the shoulders 2 will rest on the portion 19, and the holding device 8, as the plug is partially rotated axially, will meet the stoppin w, (see Fig. 1,) and the holding device will retain the plug 0 in position against accidental displacement.

The handle, applied as shown, may be readily moved into and out of working position, and, being connected with the machine, can never become lost or misplaced by lack of proper care. Pivoting the handle to the driving-wheel therefore becomes materially important.

The particular devices for pivoting the handle might be varied without departing from my invention.

When in use the center of the handle stands parallel with the supporting-axle of the (lIlV-= ing-wheel.

It is obvious this fly-wheel and handle may In testimony whereof I have signed my be used on other machines. name to'this specification in the presence of I claim two subscribing Witnesses. The handle and its tang combined with the 1 plug, the driving or fly w hee1 provided with AURELIUS STEWARD' the plug-receiving portion, slotted, as de- Witnesses: scribed, and with holding devices for the plug, A. R. LAOEY,

to operate substantially as described. F. HURD. 

